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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said the team remains hopeful that star center Victor Wembanyama could return soon, though his status remains uncertain after missing Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets with a right ankle injury.
Johnson said Wembanyama came close to playing in the matchup but ultimately was held out after testing his ankle during pregame warmups.
“I do, but that doesn’t mean he will,” Johnson said when asked if he expects Wembanyama to return Saturday against the surging Charlotte Hornets. “It’s going to be a wait-and-see thing. But, yeah, he was pretty close to playing tonight.”
The Spurs ultimately opted for caution with their franchise centerpiece.
“It was a close call because there was a chance he could play,” Johnson said. “But it was clear it was the right decision in terms of there was nothing we wanted to risk. That’s kind of been the north star of every decision we’ve made regarding his health.”
Wembanyama’s Absence Ends Long Games Played Streak
GettyVictor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs can not miss more than three games for the rest of the season to be eligible for the major NBA awards.
Thursday marked the first game Wembanyama has missed since January 30, when he sat out a contest against the Portland Trail Blazers with a knee issue.
The stretch of 30 consecutive games played was the longest of the 21-year-old’s NBA career.
Wembanyama entered the night listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness, but the Spurs decided against activating him after evaluating the injury before tipoff.
Despite missing Thursday’s game, Wembanyama remains firmly in the race for several end-of-season honors.
The 7-foot-4 French phenom is averaging 24.2 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 51 games this season.
However, he must play in 13 of San Antonio’s remaining 16 games to maintain eligibility for major NBA awards, including potential All-NBA First Team consideration.
Spurs Collapse Late Without Defensive Anchor
Without Wembanyama anchoring the defense, the Spurs struggled to protect their lead.
San Antonio built a 20-point advantage early in the third quarter, but Denver stormed back to secure a 136–131 victory, snapping the Spurs’ five-game winning streak.
Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with 31 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists, while Jamal Murray erupted for 39 points.
Murray’s late surge helped Denver erase the deficit, including a 3-pointer that gave the Nuggets their first lead at 121–119 with 4:38 remaining during an 11–0 run.
San Antonio nearly forced overtime when rookie guard Stephon Castle — who recorded 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple-double — saw a potential tying three-pointer rattle out with 20 seconds remaining.
Murray sealed the win with four free throws in the closing moments.
Spurs Experiment With Small Lineups
Johnson rotated several players at center in Wembanyama’s absence.
Carter Bryant contributed 10 points and three rebounds in nine minutes, finishing plus-7 during his stint.
Keldon Johnson added five points and seven rebounds but struggled offensively, shooting 2-of-12 from the field.
Veteran big man Luke Kornet logged 25 minutes but failed to score, and the Spurs were outscored by 11 while he was on the floor.
Johnson suggested the coaching staff may continue experimenting with different lineup combinations moving forward.
“It’s going to be something that’s discussed amongst the staff,” Johnson said. “Different games will have different personalities and different matchups. But I think we have seen some positivity when we’ve gone small at times.”
Spurs Still Strong Without Wembanyama
Despite Thursday’s loss, San Antonio has remained competitive when Wembanyama has been unavailable.
The Spurs are 10–5 without him this season, though the absence of their defensive anchor was noticeable against Denver.
San Antonio also suffered a rare setback after holding a large lead — the team had previously won 21 straight games when leading by at least 20 points before Thursday’s collapse.
The loss dropped the Spurs to 48–18, leaving them 3.5 games behind the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
With only 16 games remaining in the regular season, the Spurs will continue monitoring Wembanyama’s ankle closely as they balance their playoff push with protecting the long-term health of the franchise’s cornerstone player.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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